Five Tasty Reasons to Eat Carbs in SF

For those of us with an unwavering love of carbs – or thankfully untouched by gluten issues – here are five savory, gloriously carby, purely evil, bites around town you should get to know—and everything is less than $7 each!

This unusual beauty (covered in black sesame seeds) can be found in the pastry case at the new Sightglass in the Mission, and features thin, crisp layers of buttery laminated dough in an artful whorl, with pieces of juicy housemade kimchee and cave-aged Gruyère baked inside. Nope, this is not your usual morning bun. It’s not a strong kimchee, but it is a bit tangy, acting like an acidic counterpoint to the cheesy pastry. It’s unexpected, and fascinatingly delicious.3014 20th St.

If you’re cool with a new spin on the classic hot dog, this gourmand creation is a fun one: a plump all-beef dog from Zoe’s is encased in a “bun” of laminated dough—yup, it’s like a flaky croissant decided to cuddle up with a hot dog. Be sure to let them warm it up for you for maximum baked goodness. It comes topped with whole grain mustard, and the crisp pieces of beet chips on top add a vegetal flavor that plays the role of relish in an offbeat way. 746 Valencia St.

This waffle shop in Bernal makes a variety of waffles to order, and the one you want to start with is the maple-bacon waffle. But here’s where this waffle gets next level: you can order it with a poached egg topped with smoked sea salt inside. YES. Breakfast is served! There’s also a version stuffed with frozen custard (made by Frozen Kuhsterd) in case you want to double down for dessert. 331 Cortland Ave.

You may not be confident about your pronunciation of the Adjarian khachapuri your first time, but all you need to do is point at the thing that looks like a bread canoe with a thick layer of golden mozzarella and feta inside, and you’ll be set. The warm and fresh-baked boat of piroshki dough comes with a raw egg on top, and you really should pony up for the bacon add-on. Available for brunch on the weekends at Second Act Marketplace. 1727 Haight St.

Stuffed Bao/Milk Buns at Sammy’s Aloha

Stuffed chashu/barbecue pork buns are one of the greatest inventions ever, and the trio of stuffed bao at Sammy’s Aloha (the daytime lunch counter/take-out window at Butterfly restaurant) are rather amazing hot pockets of trouble for $4. There’s a kalua pig with spicy gochujang sauce bun, but the real heart stopper is the mixed mushroom, smoked bacon, brie, mozzarella, American cheese, cream cheese, white truffle oil, and green onion version, ay yi yi. Yeah, it’s a good idea to share that one. And even though we’re focusing on savory in this piece, be sure to order the haupia, banana, and toasted coconut bun for dessert. Pier 33, The Embarcadero.